An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 292-294
WILLIAM L. RUSSELL, one of the bright young business men and excellent
farmers of Walla Walla county, Washington, is a native of this State. He is a
son of Charles and Annie (Sheets) Russell, and was born May 19, 1864. The father
of our subject, Charles Russell, was one of the first settlers in the Walla
Walla valley. The missionaries were here before him, as were the employees of
the Hudson's Bay Company, mostly Canadians. Prior to the war of 1855-'56, the
Americans had attempted a settlement here and had been driven away by the
Indians. When the soldiers came to conquer the Indians, Mr. Russell came with
them as wagon-master and lived here continuously until his death, August 7,
1891.
Charles Russell was a native of Boston, Massachusetts, born September 18,
1828. His father was a physician and would doubtless have been pleased if his
son had decided to adopt his profession, but as a boy he had been adventurous
and desired to see other countries, and at the early age of ten years left home
and adopted the sea as his profession. In 1846 he enlisted in the United States
marine service and sailed on the sloop-of-war, the Dale, for the Pacific coast.
He participated in the war that gave California to the United States, and
finally was discharged from service in New York, in 1850. He then came again to
California, by the Isthmus route, where he soon found employment in the United
States Quartermaster's department, and was so connected until 1855, under
General Allen. In 1855, Lieutenant Robert Williamson commanded a party,
consisting of Lieutenants George Crook, Horatio Gibson, Phil. Sheridan, and
Lieutenant Abbott, which visited Oregon for the purpose of finding a railroad
route through the Cascade range of mountains, and Mr. Russell accompanied them,
in charge of the pack train. In November of that year the party disorganized at
the Dalles, and Mr. Russell took charge of the transportation in the Yakima
expedition, under Major Raines, after the Indians. Later he came to Walla Walla,
in charge of the transportation under Colonel Steptoe, where he arrived in
August, 1856. From that time until 1859 he was in charge of transportation for
the Government under the quartermaster in this department. Here Mr. Russell had
from fifty to 120 men in his employ all of the time. Under his supervision all
of the war parties were fitted out, including that of the ill-fated Steptoe
reconnaissance, and also for the historic raid of Col. Wright.
Farming was introduced by Mr. Russell in the spring of 1858. The first crop
raised in the State was by him on his present farm. Said crop was one of oats,
and he sold the product to the Government at $5 per cental. The crop was
threshed out by the old rudimentary process, horses being used to tread it. The
following season he brought to Walla Walla the first thresher ever introduced
into the Territory and present State of Washington. The machine was transported
by wagon road over the Cascade mountains, and the freight charges alone amounted
to $1,400. In fact, Dr. Whitman had tilled the bottom land around his mission
years before, and the Canadians had raised little patches of grain and herbs,
but no extensive cultivation of the land took place until the work was
inaugurated by Mr. Russell.
During his whole career Mr. Russell was an active man and his life is a part
of the public history of Walla Walla county. The farm where he lived and died
consists of 720 acres, lying along the creek which bears his name, and there is
no finer locality between the two great ranges of mountains. The farm is all
fenced and the most of it is cultivated, and with it is connected an orchard
sufficient for household purposes. The farmstead is situated three miles from
the city of Walla Walla, the soil being black loam and very productive. As an
instance, in 1881 Mr. Russell raised 9,500 bushels of oats, 5,000 bushels of
wheat, 1,000 bushels of barley, and 500 tons of hay upon the farm.
The marriage of Charles Russell took place November 21, 1860, when he wedded
Miss Annie Sheets, daughter of John Sheets, of Walla Walla, and the names of
their children are as follows: Charles, born September 12, 1861; Mary, born
January 2, 1863, died March 12, 1863; William, born May 20, 1864; Harry, born
June 8, 1866; Lavenia, born August 26, 1868; and Nellie, born December 31, 1872.
Our subject was reared on the farm, attended the common schools when a boy,
but later the military academy at Oakland, California, spending eighteen months
there. Following this training, he entered the St. Augustine Academy at Benicia,
California, from which he graduated with honors in 1883, receiving the silver
medal for first honors in the graduating class. His instruction next was
received in the Berkeley Gymnasium, at Berkley, and from there he entered the
State University of California, where he took one course, and then returned to
his home, having had advantages far beyond those of the average young man. Soon
after this he was appointed Chief Clerk of the Quartermaster's department at St.
Louis, under Captain John W. Pullman, and there he remained for two years.
Returning to his delightful home, our subject then decided to begin an
agricultural life, and has since remained on the farm. With his two brothers,
mother and sister our subject now lives on one of the farms, consisting of 440
acres, three miles from Walla Walla. Here the young men carry on an extensive
farming business and are engaged in the raising of fine horses. They have the
Hambletonian and Bellefontaine stock, and own some excellent animals. One,
Metropolitan, bought of J.B. Haggin of San Francisco, California, is valued at
$5,000. One of the young horses, Nellie Russell, made a record of 2:29‡ at the
fair at Spokane Falls, October 21, 1892. Several others are very promising, but
have not been put on the track.
Our subject was married, May 23, 1892, to Miss Minnie Sturm, an accomplished
young lady of Walla Walla, where she was born and reared. She is the daughter of
Christian and Mary Sturm, the former a native of Germany and the latter of
Illinois, now residents of Walla Walla and extensive farmers.
Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in September 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer
* * * *
Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.